The Vine Cross (The Vine Series Book 1)

  The Vine Cross

  S. P. Dawes

  Copyright © 2019 by S. P. Dawes

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Created with Vellum

  Contents

  Disclaimer & Note from Author

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Epilogue

  The Vine Tree Teaser

  Acknowledgments

  Also by S. P. Dawes

  Blurb

  Hayley ran away from an evil sect who set out to destroy the very fabric of her soul.

  Running away was supposed to give her the life she always wanted, but it’s never that easy.

  Falling into the path of a local detective inspector, brings its own challenges, but as the couple get closer, it seems the dark shadows hold a deadly secret and an even darker adversary.

  Can Hayley ever achieve the future she craves, or was she only ever going to have to sit back and watch the world burn?

  Disclaimer & Note from Author

  This romantic suspense thriller is a work of fiction. All characters, storylines, events and locations in this novel are a work of fiction.

  This is a dark romance and as such it touches on some dark areas that could be a concern for some readers. Although every care is taken not to cause pain to any reader, this book could cause triggers if you have gone through certain things in your life. So please be cautious if you have experienced domestic violence, miscarriage and /or rape.

  I am a big believer in strength and courage whilst facing great adversity. This story is to reflect that and not glamourise abuse in any way.

  Trauma does not make you a victim, it makes you a survivor.

  Hold your head high.

  Prologue

  The hunger pains were so bad that they felt as if they could rip her from the inside out. It had been days since she’d last seen a decent meal. Shivering, she bit her bottom lip to stall the chatter.

  Her eyes were sore from the brambles she’d charged through and lack of sleep wasn’t helping, stinging with a grittiness that couldn’t be wiped clear.

  Hayley clung to the clothes that wanted to desert her. Threads were the only things holding them together. Gripping them tightly to maintain some modesty, she hoped she had the right house. Staring up at the darkened windows, she prayed they’d let her stay.

  Inspecting herself, she grimaced for how she must look. She needed refuge, a place to lie low. She needed to work out how to stay alive and finally taste freedom.

  Chapter 1

  Jesse sat at his desk, looking down at photographs whilst simultaneously flipping through the paperwork attached. His coffee stood by cooling, having been long forgotten. The information didn’t make pleasant reading, and not only because of the gruesome details, but because he was the one now responsible for finding the culprit before any more people died by the same hand. Being rewarded with the case was like a poison chalice. The man-of-the-hour came with a heavy price and an even bigger burden, but his promotion had come with a heavy scepticism and he had a lot to prove. This investigation held the hallmarks of ending his career, but he had no choice but to take it.

  Heaving out a sigh, he picked up his desk phone, deciding to get what he needed now. No use complaining later when they were already floundering and he would be no-doubt fighting for resources on an ever-decreasing budget. Better to ask while his supervisors remained hopeful, and he had a chance of getting it. After all, it was no good stumbling around in the dark and then asking for a torch once you’d already slipped in the shit.

  “First one in!” called out Cassie, holding it up like the Olympic torch.

  Hayley rolled her eyes, slightly amused, grabbing the check from her hand. She set about getting the required amount of pate and goats’ cheeses out of the over-flow fridges. Another server ran in, adding her ticket to the strip on Hayley’s right. Glancing up, she noticed another large order; this time it was for a table of eight. She blew away the single hair that had weaselled its way out of her loose bun, aggravating her nose. She needed to hurry; anymore like that and she’d quickly fall behind.

  “Hayley! You OK?” Turning, she saw Rob entering the kitchen from the car park entrance, holding a box of cantaloupe melons.

  “No, not really, orders are for ten and eight,” she said frantically, dressing the dishes in front of her.

  “Didn’t they tell you?” Rob asked as Hayley looked at him with a deadpan cynicism. “Do you want a hand?”

  She shook her head, fervently. “No, I think I’m OK,” she continued, precariously balancing a tray of cheese mousses along the edge of the station on her raised knee.

  Rob slung the melon box on the sink behind her, making her jump slightly, almost tipping the tray. Rob grabbed it, taking it from her before it went crashing to the floor. “These two?” He asked, pointing at the ready-made constructions, before placing cheese mousses on both of the plates.

  Leaning over, Hayley grabbed the balsamic vinaigrette from the windowsill, trying not to lean her ample bosom in the readily prepared starters laid out in front of her.

  Caitlyn, the head waitress, came through with another check.

  Eyeing Hayley and Rob’s proximity, she shoved the paper into Hayley’s hand before swiftly turning on her heel, pushing her nose in the air, before walking out.

  Hayley looked to Rob confused, but he simply shook his head.

  “Another one!”

  “What the hell is going on?” Rob exploded.

  Ash entered the kitchen carrying a sack of carrots over his shoulder. “Needs two of you, does it?” He asked sceptically.

  About to defend herself, Hayley stopped when Rob piped up. “They’ve brought three large orders in without warning us.”

  Ash looked at him, shrugging. “So have a word with your girl, she runs front of house.”

  Hayley watched as Ash carried on with his own job. He always seemed to know exactly what buttons to press regarding Rob, and he never gave up the chance to do so. She often wondered why there was so much hostility between them.

  “It’s OK, I’ll get these out,” said Hayley sympathetically, as Rob glared at Ash’s back.

  Smiling sheepishly, Rob moved back over to the melons at the sink, before picking up his heavy chef’s knife and stabbing one melon dramatically, as though he was picturing someone’s head.

  The first waitress returned, checking if her dishes were ready to go. Hayley held up her index finger, drizzling pesto sauce on the Aubergine starters. “Done!”

  The girl carried them away three at a time, as a colleague came in to collect three more.

  It wasn’t long befo
re Hayley was feeling the effects of hunger, a result of working so hard. It had been a busy day, with a hundred and forty covers for lunch.

  Normally the Spa teetered between eighty and a hundred patrons, but the beautiful weather had brought out the crowds. The Spa seemed the perfect place for pampering. The Spa, constructed purely of Yorkshire stone, stood out from the fields and the major roads surrounding it. Looking more like a country manor with a huge conservatory on the righthand side, it portrayed a much older building than it actually was. Having been a maggot farm many years before, no one would guess from the opulence that now coated it. The Spa had quickly become the place to be, boasting many therapies, pools and leisure activities. Hayley hadn’t been there long before she saw her first Rolls Royce. She’d even witnessed a helicopter landing.

  Her head ached almost as much as her legs. Dessert orders came in thick and fast on the table behind her. The bright scorching sun poured through the bay window, causing her headache to intensify.

  “Do you want a drink?” Rob asked, watching her.

  Realising how out of breath she felt, she nodded. Dropping her head back to help relax the tension in her neck and shoulders, she softened. “Please.”

  Walking around the other side of the sinks, Rob grabbed a tumbler from the drying rack.

  Filling it up from the tap, he walked back round. Hayley’s head drooped, arranging another plate of tiramisu. Handing her the water, he watched her guzzle it thirstily.

  “Thanks,” she replied whilst wiping her mouth on her sleeve.

  “We’ve only got half an hour left,” he said, glancing at the clock above them.

  She’d been clock watching since the hunger pains kicked in over an hour ago. Rob continued layering the lasagne into large industrial sized porcelain dishes. He’d made the bechamel sauce earlier and Hayley was sure that’s what had kick started her hunger.

  “OK Hayley, grab your dinner!” Ash said, walking back into the kitchen with three Le Creuset pots piled up in his arms. He then dumped them in the heavily bubble laden sink.

  “I’ve still got starters coming in,” she told him.

  “I know, but you’ve a meeting with Chef later. I need you to be back for prep.”

  Her heart sunk, had it really come round to that meeting, the one deciding if she kept her job after probation. Taking the folded tea towel from her aproned waist, she reluctantly placed it on her workbench.

  Rob took over.

  Hayley made her way outside, down the steps into the detached building that acted as a canteen.

  Once inside, she perused the buffet for something to eat.

  Having gathered her lunch up, she noticed the heavy green wooden door swing open and closed behind her. Turning, she saw Caitlyn and her spine stiffened.

  She did not need this today.

  Picking up her plate to leave enough room for Caitlyn to get her own food without being over-crowded, she placed it on the table, pulling out a chair to sit down.

  “Where’s Rob?” Asked Caitlyn, stopping sharply in front of her.

  “In the kitchen,” answered Hayley without glancing up.

  Waiting for Caitlyn to move felt like a lifetime. When she finally got the desired effect, Caitlyn waltzed past her, taking a heady scent of candy floss perfume with her.

  Hayley let out her breath before realising she’d forgotten to pick up a knife and fork.

  Walking back over to the salad bowls, where the cutlery was housed, she quickly snatched up a knife and fork.

  “You know we’re getting married?”

  Hayley turned back to Caitlyn, so she could see how serious she was. The attitude needed to stop. It was ridiculous and tiresome. Hayley couldn’t understand why Caitlyn felt so insecure. Rob clearly loved the bones of her. Besides, Hayley really wasn’t interested in him like that; she didn’t need the drama involved in it.

  “Caitlyn, I’m not sure what you think is going on?”

  “All I know is, every time I enter the kitchen, you and Rob are laughing your heads off.”

  “Rob’s been training me up, that’s all.”

  Caitlyn eyed her suspiciously.

  Turning back to her place at the table, Hayley sat down. She was certain Caitlyn didn’t believe her, but not wanting to discuss it any further, she left it. No good would come from stirring the hornets’ nest.

  Just then three more waitresses entered the staff room along with a therapist, and they broke some tension as they giggled amongst themselves.

  Hayley ate her lunch in silence, keeping her eyes on the television in the corner, so as not to cause any distractions.

  The last things she needed was for the surrounding team to pick sides.

  Hayley knew without a doubt she’d be the least popular. Caitlyn had been at the Spa for many years and it seemed everyone knew her and with her bubbly personality she was difficult not to like. Hayley, however, would always be the outcast.

  She couldn’t speak with others easily, she didn’t trust people and gossiping about others didn’t feel right so she was often seen as standoffish. Hayley kept to herself, but it seemed there was always someone ready to ridicule and humiliate her. Caitlyn was clearly the newest candidate, which filled Hayley with dread. Finishing, she scraped her plate into the bin before putting it in the sink and washing up.

  Checking all the salad pots, she piled one into the other before making her way back to the kitchen. “Tuna, cucumber, and lettuce are out,” she said, dumping the bowls in the waiting bubbles back in the kitchen. Glancing up, she noticed everyone observing her. A feeling of unease crept up her spine. “What?”

  The pot washer looked away, embarrassed. Rob hung his head, while grating cheese, and Ash just smiled insincerely. The girls who had huddled together gossiping were now nowhere in sight.

  Grabbing her apron from earlier, she tied it around her waist, keeping her head down to conceal the build-up of moisture in her eyes.

  “Rob, do you want to grab your lunch? Hayley, can you take over?” Asked Ash, uncharacteristically nice.

  Hayley nodded, watching Rob’s back disappear outside. The atmosphere felt like a cloak, and no one made eye contact with her while she busied herself with orders.

  Hayley’s throat tightened, and she had an overwhelming feeling of failure. All she had ever wanted to do was get on and enjoy her job, but it didn’t seem to matter what she did, someone always wanted to take the peace she so badly craved.

  This was a chance at a fresh start, and she’d hoped it would be the last one she’d have to make, but that wish seemed to be going up in smoke just like everything else.

  After service ended, Ash instructed Hayley to go upstairs for the meeting. Placing the tray of cheesecakes, she’d just finished in the tall fridge, she made her way upstairs. Just before she reached the office door, a man came rushing out of the corridor with his hood up, nearly knocking Hayley flying.

  Without stopping, he continued down the rest of the stairs at break-neck speed. She didn’t know who he was, but he hardly looked like a worker. Even the maintenance men kept smart.

  The man wore scruffy jeans, a black hoodie and trainers and smelled of motor oil.

  Carrying on, she knocked on Colin’s office door. Distracted by the runner, she didn’t hear the invite.

  “Come in!” he bellowed from inside.

  Pushing the door open, she saw him sitting behind his desk, typing something. “Take a seat,” he nodded to the chair across from him, as he continued tapping. “Be with you in two secs.”

  Hayley looked around the room. Three filing cabinets loomed over her, making her feel tiny. An enormous calendar, with people’s holidays written on in marker pen, took up the only visible wall space. Magazines strewn all over the floor, gave the air of a doctor’s surgery or an unattended travel agent. A wastepaper bin in the corner, overflowed with more screwed-up wrappers than a Christmas Quality Street tin. Drab, fraying curtains, scorched desk and untreated beams added to the dreariness. The painted m
agnolia walls, in between the wooden timbers, didn’t help bring any much-needed light into the room.

  “So, how you finding it?” He asked, sitting back in his chair, studying her.

  “Good, enjoying it!” She beamed, needing this job and hoping she was coming across as convincing.

  “Good. Glad to hear you’ve settled in well,” he moved his chair backwards, crossing one leg over the other. “I am a little concerned,” his voice dropped. She couldn’t tell if he was trying to be deeply serious or hiding his embarrassment. “You’ve had trouble in your previous job.”

  Hayley sat, uncomfortably, unsure whether to answer or if it was simply a statement.

  Colin sighed before leaning forward on his desk and asking Hayley a series of questions involving her personal life and her old job.

  To say Hayley was uncomfortable was an understatement, but by the time it finished, her embarrassment mirrored back to her on the face of her boss, who was perhaps regretting his decision to speak to her about the rumours he’d heard.

  She would have felt sorry for him, if it hadn’t been him who had asked her to re-live her experience. Watching him take a few seconds to compose himself, she somehow felt validated for being so upset.

  “Hayley, I’m so sorry.” said Colin, finally.

  Hayley smiled tentatively, if for no other reason than to get some movement back into her face.